Correspondence

ESFA Update local authorities: 15 February 2023

Updated 16 February 2023

Applies to England

1. Information: backfill payments for time off timetable for early career framework (ECF) mentor training (national roll-out)

Schools using one of the DfE-funded training providers to deliver ECF mentor training from 1 September 2021 (national roll-out) will receive backfill payments to cover 36 hours of mentor time off timetable for training per mentor over 2 years.

The first payment will be made in the summer of year 1, covering 18 hours of mentor time off timetable for training. The second payment for the remaining 18 hours of mentor time off timetable for training will be made in the summer of year 2 where there has been sustained engagement with the mentor training.

The payments will be made to maintained schools via local authorities and directly to academies. In summer 2023, year 1 payments will be made for mentors who started their training from 1 September 2022 and year 2 payments will be made for mentors who started their training from September 2021.

We will publish school level allocations for payments due in summer 2023 in due course.

You can read the published conditions of grant and summer 2022 allocations

For any queries, email continuing-professional-development@digital.education.gov.uk.

2. Information: funding for time off timetable for early career teachers and mentors who participated in the national roll-out of the early career framework reforms

The national roll-out of the early career framework (ECF) reforms was launched to all schools in England from September 2021.

ECF year 2 time off timetable funding​ is paid in the summer of year 2 of the early career teacher’s (ECT) induction. This funding covers the cost of giving each ECT in year 2 of induction:

• 5% off timetable for induction activities including ECF-based training and mentor sessions
• a dedicated mentor for each ECT, based on 20 hours of mentoring in year 2 of induction

This funding is linked to the ECT and paid to the school who has registered the ECT as undergoing their ECF training at that school.

We expect payments to be made to local authority maintained schools via their respective local authorities and directly to academies in summer 2023.

You can view the published conditions of grant.

For any queries please contact continuing-professional-development@digital.education.gov.uk.

3. Information: 16 to 19 and adult education budget (AEB) grant funding payment profiles

We said we’re amending payment profiles for institutions who receive 16 to 19 and non-devolved adult education budget (AEB) grant funding. We set out full details of who this applies to in our January news item.

This is to remind you that you will receive the first payment on 17 February and the second on 17 March.

The 2 extra payments will total:

• 6.11% of your 16 to 19 funding for academic year 2022 to 2023
• 4.02% of your ESFA (non-devolved) AEB funding for academic year 2022 to 2023

We will recoup the additional payments in April and May 2023.

4. Information: the procurement application window for ESFA funded AEB contracts for services is now open

The procurement application window for ESFA funded AEB contracts for services opened on 3 February and will close on 6 March 2023. The procurement will provide funding for the delivery of adult education and training to learners in England that are resident outside of devolved areas. This procurement also includes Free Courses for Jobs. Contracts will start on 1 August 2023.

Full details including the specification and instructions to tender can be accessed via Jaggaer, the DfE e-Procurement Solution portal. There is further information available in a recorded Webinar.

5. Information: RPA members – safety culture and behavioural science

Willis Towers Watson is providing risk management support for all RPA members through audit, guidance and advice. As part of the risk management support, RPA members are invited to a workshop covering:

• how to develop a safety culture within your school through good leadership
• consequence management and how to instil the correct behaviours to control risk

Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis:

• 9 March 2023
• 23 March 2023

6. Information: are you looking at in-house catering for your school?

A new DfE-approved ESPO Grocery, fresh, chilled and frozen foods framework is now available on Find a Framework.

This new in-house catering framework offers:

• market leading suppliers ranging from SMEs to large national distributors
• offers customers the option to consolidate their fresh and frozen food deliveries
• all framework suppliers stock extensive ranges including brand names and vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, nut free, lactose free and halal options

7. Information: reporting of apprenticeships data in public sector organisations

Last year we announced the public sector apprenticeships target would end on 31 March 2022. We set out how we would continue to publish annual data on new apprenticeship starts, total numbers of apprentices and organisation headcounts.

We want the public sector to continue increasing its commitment to apprenticeships. To drive this focus and promote the sharing of good practice we plan to increase transparency in employer performance.

We are therefore asking public sector bodies with 250 or more staff to continue to submit the following data through your apprenticeship service account:

• organisational headcount
• total number of new apprentices
• apprentices as a percentage of headcount

7.1 Changes to data reporting

• The data reporting deadline will be brought forward to 31 May 2023. We will publish the data on gov.uk in the summer.
• To increase transparency and enable comparisons between organisations, the underlying published data will include apprentices as a percentage of headcount for each organisation.
• We will no longer ask for information on the actions taken to meet the target.
• We have made changes to enable local authorities to separate out maintained schools data in their return for greater data transparency.

In the coming months, we will send you more details about how to submit your apprenticeship data.

Thank you for your support and continued efforts in making public sector apprenticeships a success.